Skinning machine having a reciprocating fat removing knife mechanism thereof

ABSTRACT

A skinning machine for removing skin from hams includes a frame having a driven roll mounted thereon, the roll including a plurality of axially spaced apart serrated blades thereon which revolve in close proximity to a pressure shoe. The pressure shoe has an elongate skinning blade fixedly mounted thereon which is positioned closely adjacent the driven roll. An elongate fat removing blade is mounted closely adjacent the pressure shoe and is longitudinally reciprocable relative to the pressure shoe and is operable during its reciprocating movement to facilitate removal of excess fat from the ham prior to the skin removing operation.

United States Patent Lindstrom et al.

451 May 2,1972

[72] inventors: Oscar I'l. Lindetrom; Nathan A. Fischer,

both of Austin, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Geo. A. Hormel 8: Co., Austin, Minn.

[22] Filed: May 20, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 39,110

1,847,536 3/1932 Prueier ..l46/l51 X 2,612,l98 9/1952 Schlegel....l46/l5l X 2,920,342 1/1960 Spang et al ..l46/l 58 X PrimaryExaminer-Willie G. Abercrombie Attorney-Williamson, Palmatier & Bains 57ABSTRACT A skinning machine for removing skin from hams includes a framehaving a driven roll mounted thereon. the roll including a plurality ofaxially spaced apart serrated blades thereon which revolve in closeproximity to a pressure shoe. The pressure shoe has an elongate skinningblade fixedly mounted thereon which is positioned closely adjacent thedriven roll. An elongate fat removing blade is mounted closely adjacentthe pressure shoe and is longitudinally reciprocable relative to thepressure shoe and is operable during its reciprocating movement tofacilitate removal of excess fat from the ham prior to the skin removingoperation.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet ZINVENTORS @8646 A/A/OSfEO VI. M4 r/m/z/ A. 950/52 a/mm @W ATTOP/I/EI SSKINNING MACHINE HAVING A RECIPROCATING FAT REMOVING KNIFE MECHANISMTHEREOF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the processing of hams, the skin isremoved from the ham and this is done by commercially available skinningmachines. In most hams, one portion thereof which is not covered by theskin has an excessive amount of fat, and it is desirable to remove thisexcess fat prior to the skin removing operation. Removal of this excessfat not only facilitates removal of the skin from the ham but alsopermits the fat removing operation done in a subsequent step afterremoval of the skin to be done more effectively since the fat will bemore uniform on the ham at that time.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide areciprocating fat removing cutting device for a skinning machine. Thisfat removal knife device is mounted on the pressure shoe of the skinningmachine and is driven from the power means for the machine by suitabledrive connections. This fat removing cutting device is of simple andinexpensive construction, and may be readily incorporated on aconventional skinning machine without requiring material changes in themachine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspectiveview of a skinning machine incorporating the novel fat removing cuttingdevice;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the novel fat removingcutting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings andmore specifically to FIG. I, it will be seen that one embodiment of theham skinning machine, designated generally by the reference numeral isthere shown. This skinning machine includes a frame II which iscomprised of a pair of generally vertically oriented leg members l2interconnected by suitable longitudinal frame elements. The leg members12 comprise a pair of downwardly and diverging leg elements which arerigidly interconnected to each other and to the other leg members. toform the rigid frame II. An elongate generally channel-shaped mountingmember 13 is rigidly affixed to the upper ends of the leg members l2 andit will be noted that this mounting member is horizontally oriented.

A pair of longitudinally spaced apart bearings 14 are rigidly affixed tothe upper surface of the mounting member I3 ad jaccnt opposite endsthereof and serves to revolvably support an elongate horizontallyoriented driven roll 15. The driven roll 15 is comprised of a generallycylindrically shaped tubular body I6 secured to an elongate shaft 17,the latter joumalled in the bearings 14. The tubular body 16 has aplurality of axially spaced apart serrated blades 18 affixed thereto andprojecting radially therefrom. These blades 18 are generally circularand each has teeth I9 formed throughout the circumference thereof.

The annular space 20 defined between adjacent blades 18 is uniform andeach accommodates one of a plurality of substantially identical curvestripper elements 21. These stripper elements serve to strip the skinand fat from the roll during the skinning operation. It is pointed outthat the stripper elements and roll I5 are substantially identical tothat disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 804,862, filed Mar. 6,I969, now US. Pat. No. 3,545,036.

It will be noted that the driven roll 15 is arranged so that the bodyand blades define a pair of sets or roll sections which are designated15a and 15b. The cylindrical space 23 defined between the two rollsections is located adjacent one end portion of the machine as best seenin FIG. I.

A pair of elongate mounting arms 24 are each connected by a pivot 25 toone end of an elongated pressure shoe 26. This pressure shoe 26 has aslot therein which receives a substantially flat elongate skinning blade27, the blade being secured to the pressure shoe by suitable bolts orthe like. The cutting edge of the blade 27 actually projects forwardlyof the pressure shoe and is disposed in close proximal relation withrespect to the serrated blades 18.

Each mounting arm is also pivotally connected by a pivot 28 to one ofthe bearings 14. Each mounting arm 24 is also pivotally connected by apivot 29 to the U-shaped upper end of an elongate hold-down bolt 30.These hold-down bolts are located on opposite sides of the skinningmachine and each has its lower end projecting through an L-shapedbracket 3I. A wing nut 33 is secured to the lower threaded end portionof each bolt and engages a collar which in turn engages the lower end ofa helical spring 32 which is positioned around each hold-down bolt. Theupper end portion of each helical spring engages another collar whichbears against the L-shaped bracket so that the pressure shoe ispivotally but yieldably mounted in predetermined relation with respectto the driven roll 15.

the skinning machine is also provided with an elongate sub stantiallyflat guard member 34 which is adjustably mounted by means of thebearings I4 on the frame II to permit the guard member to be adjustedrelative to the driven roll 15. The guard member is provided with aU-shaped portion 35 adjacent the roll section 17b and cooperates withthe other elements to define the knuckle bone removing mechanismdisclosed in the co-pending application Ser. No. 804,862, now US. Pat.No. 3,545,036. All of the apparatus described hereinabove is disclosedin the co-pending application referred to hereinabove and this apparatusnot only permits the skin to be removed from the ham, but the knucklebone to be removed by the same machine.

Means are also provided for removing the excess fat from that portion ofthe ham which is not covered by skin. This fat removing device,designated generally by the reference numeral 36 is mounted upon thepressure shoe 26, is operable to cut the excess fat from the ham. Tothis end, it will be seen that the cutting device includes a pair ofbrackets 37 which are spaced apart and which are secured to the uppersurface of the shoe as best seen in FIG. 2. Each bracket has a pair ofopenings therein, one opening accommodating a mounting bolt 38therethrough. Each of these mounting bolts also projects through anelongate arcuate slot 41 in one of a pair of arms 39 which are securedto opposite ends of an elongate fat removing blade 40. Each mountingbolt 38 has its outer most end threaded for accommodating a nut 42.Although not shown in the drawings, each mounting bolt 38 also has ashoulder thereon which engages the inner surface of the associated arm39. It will be noted that only one end portion of the cutting device isshown in FIG. 3, but the other end portion is substantially the same asthat shown in FIG. 3.

Each bracket 37 also has another opening therein through which projectsan elongate thrust rod 44 which also projects through an opening in theassociated arm 39. The thrust rod 44 has a head 45 at one end thereofand a collar is slidably positioned on the thrust rod intermediate theends thereof. A spring 47 is interposed between the thrust rod head 45and the slidable collar 46 thereon, as best seen in FIG. 3. A nut 48threadedly engages the threaded outer end of the thrust rod and ispositioned against the exterior or outer surface of the associated arm39. With this arrangement, the blade 40 is capable of longitudinal orreciprocating movement against the bias of the yieldable springs 44.

Means are provided for reciprocating the blade 40 and this meansincludes a revolvable shaft 49 which is journalled in one of thebrackets 37 and is located adjacent one of the arms 39 of the blade 40.The shaft 39 has a pulley 50 keyed thereto about which is trained anendless drive belt 51 which is also trained about another pulley. Thelast mentioned pulley (not shown) is connected to the power means(electric motor) for revolving the driven roll 15.

The shaft 49 also has a revolvable cam 52 keyed thereto for rotationtherewith, and one face of the cam presents a cam surface 53 whichengages the inner vertical surface of the adjacent arm 39 of the blade40. This outer cam face of the cam 52 has a convex cam surface portion53 which serves to urge the blade 40 longitudinally to the left asviewed in FIG. 3 when the cam is revolved. After the cam surface portion53 traverses the arm 39, the springs associated with the thrust rodswill urge the blade 40 in the opposite directions. Thus the blade 40 ispower shifted through a forward stroke by the cam drive and is urged inits return stroke by means of the yieldable springs 47.

The mounting bolts 38 permit the blade 40 to be adjusted relative to thepressure shoe 26 so that the disposition of the cutting edge 43 of theblade may be threadedly adjusted. Suitable cover elements 54 arepositioned over the mounting bolts, arms and thrust rods located atopposite end portions of the fat removing cutting device.

During operation of the fat removing cutting device, the skinningmachine motor will be energized to revolve the driven roll and tooscillate the fat removing device 36. The operator may then hold thatsurface portion of the ham having the excess fat thereon but not coveredby the skin adjacent the oscillating fat removing device, so that theblade 40 will readi- 1y cut the fat from the ham as the ham has beenmanipulated against the oscillating blade. Thereafter the knuckle bonemay be removed, and finally the skin removed by the coaction of theskinning blade and roll 15.

With this arrangement, the subsequent final fat removing operation whichis accomplished at another station, may be more effectively carried out.The fat removing device 36 is driven from the electric motor whichrevolves the driven roll 15 and does not require any substantialmaterial alteration to the ham skinning machine 10. Thus the entiretreatment of the ham, including skin removal, knuckle bone removal, andexcess fat removal may be accomplished at a single station by a singleoperator. The fat removing device very effectively and efficientlyremoves the excess fat from that portion of the ham not covered by theskin and therefore facilitates the other treatment steps performed onthe ham.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that we have provided anovel fat removing device which has been incorporated on a ham skinningmachine and which permits removal of excess fat from the ham prior tothe skin removing operation.

Thus it will be seen that the fat removing device incorporated on theham skinning machine is not only of simple and inexpensive construction,but a device which functions in a more efiicient manner than anyheretofore known comparable device.

We claim:

1. In a skinning machine comprising a frame,

a driven roll including an elongate shaft journaled on said frame, acylindrical body on said shaft, a plurality of axially spaced apartgenerally eircular serrated radial blades on said cylindrical bodyextending radially outwardly therefrom,

a pressure shoe positioned in close proximal relation to said roll andhaving a leading edge,

a skinning blade projecting from said leading edge,

an elongate fat removing blade, means mounting said fat removing bladein spaced close proximal relation above said shoe and extendinglongitudinally of the latter, said blade being longitudinallyreciprocable relative to said shoe through forward and return strokes,

drive means including a driven member engaging said fat removing bladeto drive the same longitudinally through its forward stroke, and ahorizontally disposed helical spring yieldably resisting movement of thefat removing blade through its forward stroke and causing said fatremoving blade to be moved in its return stroke,

and means for adjusting the vertical spacing of said fat removing bladerelative to said shoe, comprising a pair of generally vertical] orientedopenings each being located in one end ofsard lade, and a pair 0 pinseach projecting through one of said openings.

2. The skinning machine as defined in claim I wherein said driven membercomprises a cam, and power means for revolving said cam.

3 The skinning machine as defined in claim 2 wherein said blade isprovided with an am, and said cam is revolvable and engages said arm todrive the same through a forward stroke,

1. In a skinning machine comprising a frame, a driven roll including anelongate shaft journaled on said frame, a cylindrical body on saidshaft, a plurality of axially spaced apart generally circular serratedradial blades on said cylindrical body extending radially outwardlytherefrom, a pressure shoe positioned in close proximal relation to saidroll and having a leading edge, a skinning blade projecting from saidleading edge, an elongate fat removing blade, means mounting said fatremoving blade in spaced close proximal relation above said shoe andextending longitudinally of the latter, said blade being longitudinallyreciprocable relative to said shoe through forward and return strokes,drive means including a driven member engaging said fat removing bladeto drive the same longitudinally through its forward stroke, and ahorizontally disposed helical spring yieldably resisting movement of thefat removing blade through its forward stroke and causing said fatremoving blade to be moved in its return stroke, and means for adjustingthe vertical spacing of said fat removing blade relative to said shoe,comprising a pair of generally vertically oriented openings each beinglocated in one end of said blade, and a pair of pins each projectingthrough one of said openings.
 2. The skinning machine as defined inclaim 1 wherein said driven member comprises a cam, and power means forrevolving said cam.
 3. The skinning machine as defined in claim 2wherein said blade is provided with an arm, and said cam is revolvableand engages said arm to drive the same through a forward stroke.